Mistaken Identity

Today was the first of many days of being mistaken for a high school student.

I went to 12th grade orientation at Atlee High School, where I will be student teaching in a couple of weeks. I was volunteering - assigning locker numbers to the students as they filed through the stations. I took a break to go check out the merchandise at one of the stations and on my way out, the robotics team kindly asked me if I'd like to join their club. I replied "well, I'm a teacher..." to which everyone (all boys) laughed at the boy who had extended the invitation. From then on, every time I passed their booth, I was invited again (in jest) to join the team.

I was also asked to buy a "Seniors 2010" t-shirt, to which I also replied, "I'm a teacher." Then they started showing me the teacher merchandise - polo shirts.

While sitting at the locker station, I asked a girl if she had an older brother, because I recognized her last name. She replied, "Well, I have a brother, but you wouldn't know him because he already graduated from college." My cooperating teacher Mrs. Keister told her that I had also already graduated from college, to which the 12th grader looked a bit embarrassed. As it turns out, I did not know her brother, but once again, I was assumed to be younger than I am.

I don't take offense to situations like these. In fact, it's comforting to know that one day when I am 50, people might assume I am still in my 40's. Let's just hope that in the days to come, my height and age don't give me trouble as I try to convince a couple hundred high schoolers that I am in charge.